District Court at Christchurch v McDonald - [2021] 3 NZLR 585

Courts — Inherent Powers — Ability of Courts to regulate their own procedures — Whether statutes ousted District Court judges’ powers of direction of registrars in conduct of judicial business — Whether statute exclusive statement of Chief Judge’s powers — Delegation of responsibility by Chief District Court Judge resulted in directions preventing registrars granting bail for family violence offences — Whether registrars could be prevented from granting bail to certain defendants — Whether registrars could be prohibited from considering bail variation applications for those defendants — Bail Act 2000 s 27.

Criminal practice and procedure — Bail directions — Delegation of responsibility by Chief District Court Judge resulted in directions preventing registrars granting bail for family violence offences — Whether statutes ousted District Court judges’ powers of direction of registrars in conduct of judicial business — Whether statute exclusive statement of Chief Judge’s powers — Whether registrars could be prevented from granting bail to certain defendants — Whether registrars could be prohibited from considering bail variation applications for those defendants — Bail Act 2000 s 27.